Location: Sandy Spit, Green Cay
Day 16 started off with a delicious breakfast of French toast and scrambled eggs that were cooked up by our sous chef Lina and our head chef Will. Following breakfast, we all got ready for an exciting day packed full of sailing and knots. We hurried up to the stern of the boat for Amelia’s knot-tying lesson and learned four new knots that would later help us in the first part of our exam, the knot-tying practical. After about an hour of trial and error, while making our knots, Chloe told us that it would make sense to take the exam earlier because the knots were fresh in our minds. We asked Amelia and soon after started the practical. Everyone did very well, and we shared laughs along the way. Lina also shared that the knot part of the exam was her appreciation of the day during the squeeze. Lily and I asked to take a swim before we started the sailing portion, so we all jumped in and swam around, which cooled us off from the hot BVI sun. Then, we got back into the cockpit and started the sailing exam, which consisted of all of us sailing as a group without any guidance from Amelia, Tait, or Annie. It also included each of us doing a tack and gybe by ourselves on the helm, adjusting to the wind and other factors. Starting off the practical, we went down the line, all completing the requirements of the exam. Zavor and Thea did a well-done and quick tack, and Leo completed a gybe that was controlled. After, we did a man overboard for the exam that went extremely smoothly, with us scooping up our fender, “Oscar,” in a record time.
Wrapping up the sailing portion, we started our sail to Sandy Spit which is an island filled with white sand and pretty shells. Underway we ate a scrumptious lunch of chicken salad wraps with a side of carrots and celery. We arrived on the island and went over in groups getting ready to swim and clean “Junior,” our dingy. We stayed on Sandy Spit for about 2 hours, playing volleyball and swimming. When cleaning the dinghy, Peyton and I saw a baby stingray! We got back to the boat and went into ocean showers, and unwinding for the night. Dinner was franks and beans with a side salad and homemade honey mustard made by Sam. Following dinner, we went up to the bow for squeeze led by me. We all went around saying our appreciation of the day, and my question was: “What is your favorite shape of pasta?” Overall our day was filled with exams and fun in the water!